Founder Of Educate A Child, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser To Host New York Reception And Jazz Concert Featuring Wynton Marsalis, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra And Chick Corea

NEW YORK, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Educate A Child (EAC), a global education programme designed to ensure every child has access to a quality education, officially announced two new worldwide partners – Qatar Airways, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Qatar Airways and Jazz at Lincoln Center will both serve as partners to raise awareness about the EAC programme and its objectives. The announcement was made at a press conference in New York, held at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in Jazz at Lincoln Center's home, Frederick P. Rose Hall.

Launched by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar in November 2012, Educate A Child addresses the plight of 61 million out-of-school children around the world, who are denied access to quality primary education. In the last six months alone, the initiative has given 600,000 children the opportunity to fulfill their right to primary education, which would otherwise have been denied to them because of poverty, discrimination or conflict. Educate A Child has partnered with numerous NGOs and other organisations to seek out new and innovate ways of providing education.

Educate A Child was founded as a direct result of Her Highness Sheikha Moza's mandate as a UNESCO Special Envoy on Basic and Higher Education, a United Nations Millennium Development Goal Advocate and a Steering Committee member of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Global Education First initiative.

Flying to over 125 destinations around the world, Qatar Airways is uniquely positioned to reach many of the countries where Educate A Child is active. The airline has pledged to provide food, cargo, and personal transport services for the programme as well as promoting awareness of EAC and the plight of the 61m out-of-school children in the world through its in-flight communications channels.

Speaking in New York today, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: "We believe that global aviation can bridge communities and people to galvanise support for causes that affect individuals across every continent.

"Qatar Airways is proud to partner with an initiative that matches our spirit and ambition as an organisation.

"Guided by the commendable vision of Educate A Child, we have already begun to support out-of-school children around the world, with the basic human right they deserve – education," he added.

In addition to flight services, Qatar Airways will use its communication platforms to reach the airline's global passenger base, showcasing the initiative through in-flight entertainment, in-flight magazines and the carrier's web site qatarairways.com and social media channels.

The press conference took place at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola and featured a number of key individuals associated with Educate A Child. Joining Mr. Al Baker were Special Envoy - Educate A Child – Office of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Executive Committee member at the Qatar Foundation Endowment, Dr. Tidu Maini; Chief Executive Officer of Education Above All, Mr. Marcio Barbosa; Executive Committee Member of Education Above All Foundation, Mr. Mohammed Al Naimi; and Jazz at Lincoln Center Chairman of the Board, Mr. Robert Appel.

Education is a core tenet of Jazz at Lincoln Center's mission. Through various education initiatives, Jazz at Lincoln Center strives to foster an appreciation for jazz and underscore the importance of arts and culture in global society. The organisation plans to leverage its global audience and institutional assets (concerts, tours, special events, education programmes, recorded music) to raise awareness for EAC's important work.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Chairman, Robert Appel said: "Jazz at Lincoln Center, Educate A Child, and Qatar Airways enter this unique relationship with a shared vision to to enrich the lives of as many children as possible through education.

"Building an appreciation for the arts and advancing education are central to Jazz at Lincoln Center's mission. We are proud to support and help raise awareness for Educate A Child's cause."

On May 16th, Educate A Child, Qatar Airways and Jazz at Lincoln Center will inaugurate this new global partnership with a dinner reception at Jazz at Lincoln Center, during which Her Highness will introduce the programme to New York attendees. The dinner will be followed by an evening of world-class music, featuring a performance by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis with special guest Chick Corea.

Qatar Airways, one of the world's fastest growing airlines, has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying to 126 key destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas, including Chicago, the airline's newest point introduced on April 10.

Qatar Airways currently has orders worth over US$50 billion for more than 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 Family of aircraft. In addition to winning Skytrax's prestigious Airline of the Year2011 and 2012, Qatar Airways was named Best Airline in the Middle East for the seventh year in a row, and its Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport was named Best Premium Service Airport for the second consecutive year in 2012. Skytrax is the only global independent passenger survey monitoring airline standards and is considered the ultimate benchmark for excellence in the airline industry. In October 2012, Qatar Airways became the first of the major Gulf carriers to officially announce plans to join a global alliance having been invited into the oneworld group. For more information, visit www.qatarairways.com